Page 83 of Lovestrung

“You sure she knows that? Because from I’ve heard, she’d like to be more than just friends, Ethan.”

I huffed, annoyed that he wouldn’t let it go. “Look, I respect you a fuckuva lot, Callum – hell, I think of you as a friend – but you should know that I’m involved with someone else. Someone I’ve waited my whole life for. That’s partly the reason this is my last shoot.”

“Really?” He blinked, clearly surprised by my admission.

I couldn’t fault him for that; it was rare I opened up to him.

“Why’s that such a surprise?” I grumbled and pulled a pair of black boxers from my locker.

He chuckled. “You’ve always given off the vibe that you’re, I don’t know…a lone wolf or something.”

I grimaced at the image. “Hardly.”

“She must be pretty special if you’re giving up this gig,” he mused and scratched his chin.

I didn’t fall for his bait but couldn’t stop my lips from pulling up in a small smile.

“She’s my world,” I muttered.

Silence filled the room for a beat until he burst out in loud laughter.

“Man, you sound so, I don’t know? In love. Are you in love with her?”

I wanted to say yes, but I didn’t. I didn’t want the first person to know I was in love with her to be someone other than Penelope. Instead, I shrugged and pushed down my pants, not caring in the least about being naked in front of him. “Maybe I am, but it’s the truth.”

We both fell quiet as I finished getting ready.

“So, I guess this is it, huh?” Callum said, now in a somber mood, when I closed the locker.

“I guess so. But we’ll still see each other, right?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

Somehow, I didn’t believe him, but I didn’t have time for a heart-to-heart. I wanted this scene over and done with. I wanted to close the door to this part of my life and move on.

I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my scruff. “You better clear the room, but first?” I grinned at him. “Can you tell me what I’m supposed to do today?”

He straightened from his place next to me. “Sure. It’s a short scene, but chicks dig it when you jerk off, so if you do that and manage to keep it up until I give you the sign to shoot your cum, that’ll be that.”

I shook my head at his candor. “An oldie but goldie.”

He flashed a grin before he turned around. “Sometimes, it’s better to stick with the classics.”

* * *

It wasn’t until after I’d showered and got dressed that I turned on my cell and found Penelope’s texts waiting for me.

Penelope: They know about us. xo

“Shit.”

“What is it?” Callum stopped next to me, camera hanging down his chest.

I shook my head and forced a smile on my lips.

“Nothing, just something I’d forgotten.”

He narrowed his eyes at me, but nodded and left me alone. Sighing, I reached for the few items I’d been keeping at my locker at Privé and put them in my work-out bag. I didn’t know why I ever thought that asking Penelope to keep us a secret was a good idea, because I should’ve known better.